Perhaps in celebration of the one year anniversary of us sending them the album, Matt Shimmer at Indieville.com has posted a review of Ok Fine. It's, like many of our reviews have been, mixed:

This interesting keyboard-infused pop album comes encased in a glossy origami-folded package (don't unwrap it, or you will fucking regret it!!), the most overt indication of Pants Pants Pants' quirky, electronic-heavy style. Their second album so far, this twelve-song collection endears its audience by way of (usually) cute female vocals and silly song structures. The latter characteristic, however, also causes Ok, Fine to fall flat on occasion. While catchy "Dino Love" and silly "Stay in School (Don't Play The Fool)" (dig the Horatio Sanz reference) are among the record's best, others (bizarre "Human Machines," too-long "You Have Died of Dysentery" [a reference to ancient educational computer game Oregon Trail]) drag down the fun due to weak melodies and mediocre overall sounds. Others, like Bettie Serveert-esque "Moonpretty" and experimental and compelling "Graphite" are almost really good, but fall just short of being completely realized. I'm not sure how often I will be pulling this disc out, though as far as goofy female-led pop music goes, this does the trick. A notable cover of Pearl Jam's "Jeremy" is included for good measure, replacing the PJ sound with a lighter pop vibe.

They also included this little fun fact:

Like Modest Mouse (which this band doesn't resemble in the least), Pants Pants Pants' first songs were recorded on answering machines.

Actually, our first song was written using messages left on our answering machine, not recorded on answering machines. I think this is a great illustration of the difference between the two bands. I couldn't sum it up any better myself.

It always strikes me how different everyone's take is on this album, and on our band in general. Much of this, I'm sure, has to do with our varying style. But I'm most stricken by how differently people hear our music than I do.

For example, I've always considered Human Machines to be one of our most straight ahead pop songs, but this reviewer considers it "bizarre." I've also always assumed that fans of Dino Love would like Human Machines as well. I lump them together, but obviously Matt Shimmer does not.

I've also never thought of our Jeremy cover as having a "lighter pop vibe."

I thank Matt for his faint praise of Graphite ("almost really good"). You see, one thing you might not know about my other two band-mates is that they are total Graphite haters. This is despite the fact that numerous individuals of impeccable taste has expressed their enjoyment of the song (including Lauren Lauren's very own MOTHER!). Maybe Matt's words will help to sway them back over to the side of good. Come on you two, it's "experimental and compelling," we just need to completely realize that fact.

High points of the review for me include the Bettie Serveert reference, "(usually) cute female vocals," "almost really good," and of course the affirmation that we in no way resemble Modest Mouse.

In the end, we're left with a wonderfully cherry-pickable review. Look for out of context quotes from this review in our press pack soon.

I'm encouraged that every reviewer seems to be able to find something they enjoy in our album, even if it's just the album art (thanks a lot East Bay Express). When we start releasing our ep's by genre (more on this later), I think those who find themselves in Matt's boat can procure a piece of work more to their liking.

Frankly, though, I think some of these reviewers could stand to take a lesson from this review. Now THAT'S how you review Ok Fine!

Myspace has become somewhat of a necessary evil for bands these days. You pretty much have to keep up a myspace page now for the sake of booking, press, and even to reach certain fans. It's like a standardized form that all bands are required to fill out in order to gain access to the club known as "legitimacy."

Now personally, I can't stand myspace. The site is terrible, it's down all the time, it's full of spammers and other creepy types, it's messaging system is horrendous, and the layout (even given some of the TOTALLY SWEET myspace layouts we're constantly barraged with emails about) is horrible. Not to mention the all the Murdochian issues with it. One of the many reasons I was excited to get this new site up and running was that it meant that I didn't have to use myspace as often (my lack of internetting skillz and overall laziness require an ease of updating that did not exist with the old site). But so many band, bookers, and press use it, that you have to keep up with it.

That said, I certainly will occasionally choose to check out a band's myspace page over their actual site. I know I will be able to instantly hear their music and see pictures/videos(I judge music mostly on looks, as should you).

So yes, a band's myspace page does have inherent value, despite the numerous problems. However, I read something recently that leads me to believe that things are getting ridiculous:

The Eureka Reporter was nice enough to wrie a short blurb about our show in Arcata a few weeks ago. Here's the relevant portion:

Apparently, there’s a new band out of Arcata called Blame the Factory, and they are playing with Shay’s Rebellion at Central Station in McKinleyville on Friday night. It should be worth going to just to check out the new meat, so new they don’t seem to have a MySpace.

On Saturday at the Alibi, Speaker Speaker from Seattle will grace the scene with driving indie pop, (3208 My Space friends). That show is 21+ and starts at 11 p.m.

Around the corner at Jambalaya, Universalia Jane will perform her melodramatic songs, the Rubberneckers will encourage people to drink and dance and Pants Pants Pants will please the crowd with electro-pop ballads (1063 MySpace friends). Fun times; get your dancing feet moving. That show starts around 10 p.m.

Skipping ahead to Tuesday, at the Little Red Lion, New Mexico-based rock group, Super Giant (9,361 MySpace friends) will be playing with L.A.-based metal group HDR (1,838 My Space friends) and Vancouver, Canada-based band, Pride Tiger (5,693 MySpace friends).

Notice anything strange here? Every out of town band's name is followed by the number of myspace friends they have. My only guess is that the reader is expected to judge the quality of the band by their friend count. Does this strike anyone else as disturbing? Is this really a good way to judge the quality, or even popularity of a band?

One of the other annoying things about myspace is the constant barrage of friend requests from bands all across the country. Some of these are fine, and it's great to hear from interesting bands around the country and to check out new music. But a lot of bands just roll around adding whoever they can in order to boost their friend count. You essentially have this giant network that exists solely to boost this new artificial barometer of "bigness." This is not news, but seeing this article gave the concept of a "friend count" a legitimacy that I've never seen before. It must be stopped.

I realize that the internet does not need another rant against myspace, and I apologize. I'm not trying to call out the author of this particular article either, I think this is a symptom of a larger disease.

I also apologize for using said rant to disguise my real horror and embarrassment at having the lowest friend count in that whole article. Or for pretending that we would be so noble as to keeping our myspace friend count low and accurate (I admit only to occasions of nobility here and there in the most egregious situations or really terrible bands). I'm just asking if we want myspace friend counts to become a new and accepted measure of a band. 'Cause that would be totally lame.

But seriously folks, friend us on myspace. This is embarrassing!

Lauren Lauren's friend Chris DeMento did a write up on our show at the Hemlock for local music blog The Bay Bridged. You can check it out here.

Here's the relevant portion:

First to play: Pants, Pants, Pants, and weren’t they a fine, buggering mess? The lady singer goes by Lauren; also a talented baker she seems, and a proper yank (Brooklyn). Her sound and her cupcakes did abound in equal measure. She projects on up-tempo, well-meaning indie tech hop songs, although she’d ought insist her mates turn down just a hair. We can’t understand you, love. According to bassist / trombonist / tech-supportist Steve, “She’ll cut you.” Or at least leave you a-dangling there at another stellar public house wishing you weren’t such a dastardly boor, wishing, old boy, that you knew the first thing to say to a woman with a voice like that. She also plays melodica in her spare time. Who doesn’t, then? Her party-boy buddies serve up a lurid, though somewhat novel, electro-rock cocktail, Ivan busying himself about his funk batterie, Steve alternately holding down bass and synth and cpu, we reckon. Like Matt Jones said in a fake British accent, “a weird show, but a good show.”

If they were a bloke, Pants, Pants, Pants would be the puff with the long-legged, proper fit, glorified-cupholder ladygirl girlfriend who is not allowed to sit by him, really, or look him square in the eye, ever; even better, Pants, Pants, Pants’d be the soundtrack to same dude’s electric memoir movie.

.......wait, what?

Highlights for me include the description of our songs as "well meaning" and "somewhat novel," our drummer "Ivan," and of course the Pants Pants Pants as bloke section (which I'm still trying to figure out). Also, congrats to our friend Mike for having his quote included in the section about the Vows. Someone liked one of your jokes enough to put it in print! You're slipping Mike.

Stay tuned for a new feature we're adding, Reviewing the Review(er). Methinks that bird Lauren Lauren should tackle this one.

If you missed our du Nord show, fear not. You can close your eyes and pretend you are there while listening to this live recording of our rendition of Snap's "The Power" from the show:

THE POWER!

Also, you can find more photos from our Chico show with John Staedler here:

http://commonpath.org/node/3798

And video here: http://commonpath.org/john_staedler_pants_pants_pants_janae_lloyd

Speaking of John Staedler, he's in the Bay Area this weekend. If you can, check him out at the Starry Plough in Berkeley tonight, Barefoot Coffee Roasters in Santa Clara tomorrow, and at Brainwash on Folsom St in San Francisco Sunday.

Our good friend John Zaterka at SF Station wrote a nice little preview for our upcoming show at Bottom of the Hill. Check it OUT: (scroll down to #5)

5. Pants, Pants, Pants
Wednesday, January 23rd
Bottom of the Hill
Doors: 8:30pm, Show 9pm
$8
http://www.sfstation.com/bottom-of-the-hill-b1337

For those looking for fun SF-indie quirky dance-pop, Pants, Pants, Pants hit the stage at Bottom of the Hill with Portland’s The Shaky Hands bringing down their northwest grunge to headline the show. PPP’s bring their playful electrocknic pop and engaging live show to the stage with a sound recalling an early upbeat Stereolab with a much better sense of humor. This trio makes the most of customized electronics from modified kiddy toys and an Atari 5600 to create a unique sound as if the Pixies were covering Björk and Beck songs. For those looking for a real treat as nominated by The Owl Mag's online music video contest, check out their myspace page at http://www.myspace.com/pantspantspants for their video for the song "Fabio Salsa" which faithfully recreates the opening sequence of the SF-based show "Full House" shot by shot -- a true SF treat!

Hi Pants Fans, Let's cut to the chase. The world needs more giant squirrels. That's precisely why we need your help.

As few of you know, our "Full House" video has been included in The Owl Mag's online music video contest. It's an online poll where the winner will receive a brand new Gibson Les Paul!

The irony of our band winning a brand new guitar is too delicious to pass up. So, we put our thinking caps on and came up with this amazing proposition for you: If you help us win the guitar, we promise to sell it, and buy this!

All you have to do is go here:

http://www.theowlmag.com/giveaway.asp

And vote for 5 Pants Pants Pants. Please forward this on to everyone you know. This is your chance to be a part of something BIG!

with love,

Pants Pants Pants

Performer Magazine reviewed our CD Release show with Social Studies, Fast Computers, and Blue Skies for Black Hearts. Here's their take (note the "hard, guitar-driven emo rock")

Next up, celebrating the recent release of their album Ok, Fine, local act Pants Pants Pants gave a fun and flighty performance. Self-described as “laptop indie rock” or “not-pop” Pants Pants Pants are perhaps best explained as Smashing Pumpkins meets LCD Soundsystem — a hard, guitar-driven emo rock, coupled with elements of electronica and dance pop. Lead singer Lauren Lauren and bassist Ted Dancing were decked out in strips of lights that pulsated to the beat of the music. Audience members seemed to have trouble deciding if it was all just too cheesy or too fabulous to handle, but when a group of “cheerleaders” stormed the stage to perform choreographed dance routines to their songs, it seemed clear — definitely fabulous.

Read the whole review here (scroll down).

"Making a name for themselves because of an overt nerdiness, this SF by way of Virginia trio clearly know that in order to have fun, you can't take yourself too seriously. Playful electronica meets indie rock, sometimes meandering down a strange path of weird child-like rhythms, psychedelic lounge, even hip-hop ("Sensible Gansta"). WTF! Grab their new album OK, Fine stat."

The Owl Mag says so.
So does the Eugene Weekly.

Now is when we embrace it.

The HumCity Podcast featured us in advance of our upcoming show in Eureka at the Accident Gallery. Sadly, they just played our music so you don't get to here us sound like uncomfortable dorks.